In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Ifadah Center
For Humanities Studies and Research
Presents
The Abridged Sahih al-Bukhari
Chapter:
Fulfilling the Khums (one-fifth) is part of faith
On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, who said:
When the delegation of ‘Abd al-Qays came to the Prophet, peace be upon him,
He said:
"Who are the people, or who is the delegation?"
They replied: "Rabi‘ah."
He said:
"Welcome to the people, or the delegation,
Neither disgraced nor regretful."
They said: "O Messenger of Allah,
We cannot come to you except during the sacred months,
And between us and you lies this tribe of the disbelievers of Mudar.
So, command us with a decisive instruction
That we may convey to those behind us,
And by which we may enter Paradise."
They also asked him about beverages.
He commanded them with four things,
And forbade them from four things.
He commanded them to believe in Allah alone.
He said:
"Do you know what belief in Allah alone is?"
They replied:
"Allah and His Messenger know best."
He said:
"The testimony that there is no god but Allah,
And that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
The establishment of prayer,
The payment of zakat,
The fasting of Ramadan,
And that you give one-fifth of the spoils of war."
And he forbade them from four things:
From the hantam, the dubba’,
The naqir, and the muzaffat.
And perhaps he said:
"The muqayyar."
And he said:
"Memorize them,
And inform those behind you of them."
Commentary on the hadith:
Fulfilling the khums is part of faith:
Meaning, giving one-fifth of the spoils is a branch of faith.
The delegation:
Meaning, the chosen group from a people,
Sent ahead to meet the great leaders.
Welcome (Marhaban):
Derived from 'rahb' (spaciousness),
Which implies ease and capacity.
Meaning: You have arrived in a place of ease and welcome.
The intent is:
Kindness, honor, and a warm reception.
Neither disgraced nor regretful:
An expression of their honor,
As they entered Islam willingly without disgrace.
Once they embraced Islam, they were respected,
And thus they felt no regret.
During the sacred month:
The sacred months are four:
Dhu al-Qa‘dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram,
And Rajab.
The tribe (al-hayy):
The settlement of the tribe.
Where they live in proximity to one another.
A decisive instruction:
Meaning, clear, unambiguous, and free of confusion.
Hantam:
Jars made of clay, hair, and blood.
Dubba’:
A vessel made from a dried gourd.
Naqir:
A tree trunk hollowed out to ferment drinks.
Muzaffat:
Meaning, coated with pitch (tar).
Muqayyar:
Meaning, the same as muzaffat.
From the benefits of the hadith:
First:
The legitimacy of delegations of the elite and leaders
Visiting the authorities regarding important matters.
Second:
The recommendation for a person to say to their visitors and the like:
"Welcome."
Third:
Offering an apology before presenting a request.
Fourth:
Deeds are included in the definition of faith.
Fifth:
Encouraging the scholar to honor the virtuous.
Sixth:
The obligation of the khums in spoils of war,
Whether the amount is small or large.
Seventh:
It is incumbent upon the scholar to urge people to convey knowledge
And spread the rulings of Islam.
Eighth:
The prohibition of preparing drinks in specific vessels.
Chapter:
What has been narrated regarding deeds being based on intention and seeking reward.
And every person shall have what they intended.
On the authority of Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari,
From the Prophet, peace be upon him, who said:
"If a Muslim spends on his family while seeking reward for it,
It is counted for him as charity."
Commentary on the hadith:
Seeking reward (yahtasibuha):
Meaning, he seeks the Countenance of Allah through it.
It is counted for him as charity:
Meaning, he receives a reward for it.
From the benefits of the hadith:
First:
The encouragement to purify one's intention in all deeds.
Second:
Spending on one's family and dependents
Becomes an act of obedience when one intends the Countenance of Allah, the Almighty.
On the authority of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, visited me during the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage
Because of an illness that had intensified.
I said:
'My illness has become severe,
And I am a man of wealth,
And I have no heir except my daughter.
Shall I give two-thirds of my wealth as charity?'
He said: 'No.'
I said:
'Half?'
He said: 'No.'
Then he said:
'One-third.'
'And one-third is a lot,'
Or 'a large amount.'
'For you to leave your heirs wealthy
Is better than leaving them destitute, begging from people.
And you will not spend any expenditure seeking the Countenance of Allah
But you will be rewarded for it,
Even for the morsel you place in the mouth of your wife.'
I said: 'O Messenger of Allah,
Will I be left behind after my companions?'
He said:
'You will not be left behind
To perform a righteous deed
But you will be increased in degree and status by it.
Perhaps you will be left behind
Until some people benefit from you,
And others are harmed by you.
O Allah, complete for my Companions their migration,
And do not turn them back on their heels.'
In another narration:
Then he placed his hand on my forehead,
Then he wiped his hand over my face and stomach,
Then he said:
'O Allah, heal Sa‘d,
And complete his migration for him.'
I continued to feel its coolness on my liver,
As I imagine,
Until this very hour."
But the wretched one was Sa‘d ibn Khawlah,
For whom the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, felt sorrow,
Because he died in Makkah.
Commentary on the hadith:
Visited me (ya‘uduni):
'‘Iyadah' is the visiting of the sick.
Illness (waja‘):
A term for any sickness.
Intensified (ishtadda bi):
Meaning, became severe.
His daughter:
Her name was ‘A’ishah.
Then Sa‘d, may Allah be pleased with him, was cured after that,
And he had other children.
Half (al-shatr):
Meaning, one-half.
Leave (tadhar):
Meaning, to abandon or leave behind.
Destitute (‘alah):
Meaning, poor.
Begging from people (yatakaffafun):
Meaning, asking for charity with their palms.
Perhaps you will be left behind:
The intent is his long life.
And it was so;
He lived more than forty years after that.
His companions benefited from him,
And others were harmed by him.
Complete for my Companions their migration:
Meaning, perfect it for them without invalidating it.
And do not turn them back on their heels:
Meaning, by abandoning their migration
And returning from their upright, praiseworthy state,
Which would cause their intentions to fail and their condition to worsen.
The wretched (al-ba’is):
One who has been afflicted by misery,
Which is poverty and scarcity.
Felt sorrow for him:
Meaning, he suffers on his account,
and feels pain for what he has done to himself.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
First:
The recommendation of visiting the sick.
Second:
The limit of abundance in bequests is one-third.
Third:
The encouragement to uphold family ties and show kindness to relatives.
Fourth:
Sincerity is a condition for the acceptance of deeds.
Fifth:
The hadith is from a source higher than prophecy.
Sa‘d lived a long life,
was blessed with children,
people benefited from him,
and others were harmed by him.
Chapter: The statement of the Prophet, peace be upon him:
"The religion is sincerity."
For Allah, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims, and their common folk.
On the authority of Jarir Ibn ‘Abdullah, who said:
"I pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to testify that there is no god but Allah,
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
to establish prayer,
to pay zakat,
and to listen and obey."
In one narration:
"He instructed me to the best of my ability,
and to offer sincerity to every Muslim."
Commentary on the hadith:
Chapter: The statement of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "The religion is sincerity."
Meaning, offering sincerity is one of the branches of faith.
And sincerity—
Sincerity—
is the offering of affection,
striving in giving counsel,
and filling gaps.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
First:
Sincerity is a communal obligation (fard kifayah).
It is required according to one's capacity.
Second:
Offering sincerity is conditional upon the advisor knowing that their advice will be accepted,
and that they are safe from harm to themselves.
Otherwise, they are excused from the matter.
The Book of Knowledge.
Chapter: Regarding one who is asked about knowledge while busy with his hadith,
so he completes the hadith and then answers the questioner.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, who said:
While the Prophet, peace be upon him, was in a gathering speaking to the people,
a Bedouin came to him and said:
"When is the Hour?"
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, continued speaking.
Some of the people said:
"He heard what he said,
but disliked what he said."
And some of them said:
"Rather, he did not hear."
Until, when he finished his speech, he said:
"Where is the one who asked about the Hour?"
He said:
"Here I am, O Messenger of Allah."
He said:
"When the trust is betrayed, then wait for the Hour."
He said:
"How is it betrayed?"
He said:
"When authority is given to those who are not fit for it,
then wait for the Hour."
Commentary on the hadith:
The Hour:
Meaning, the Day of Resurrection.
"Continued":
Meaning, he persisted.
"I think":
Meaning, I suppose.
"Given":
Meaning, entrusted.
"To those not fit for it":
Meaning, those who are not people of integrity take charge of it,
and those who assist in injustice and immorality take charge of it.
At that point, the leaders will have betrayed the trust that Allah imposed upon them,
until the treacherous is trusted and the trustworthy is treated as treacherous.
This only happens when ignorance and desire prevail,
and the people of truth are too weak to uphold it.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
First:
It is among the etiquettes of the student not to ask the scholar while he is busy with a hadith or otherwise.
Second:
Gentleness with the student and teaching him,
even if he is harsh in his questioning or ignorant.
Third:
The scholar should be consulted if the questioner does not understand.
Fourth:
The permissibility for the scholar to be expansive in his answer,
and he may be brief for the sake of the benefit.
Chapter: Regarding one who raises his voice with knowledge.
On the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, lagged behind us on a journey we were taking.
He caught up with us while we were exhausted by prayer,
the ‘Asr prayer.
We were performing ablution,
and we began wiping our feet.
He called out at the top of his voice:
"Woe to the heels from the Fire!"
Two or three times.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Exhausted by prayer":
Meaning, we delayed the prayer until its time was nearly over.
"Wiping":
The intended meaning:
Washing, which is closer to wiping.
"Woe":
A word denoting punishment.
It is said to one who has fallen into a ruin they deserve.
"To the heels":
The heel is the back of the foot.
They were singled out,
because they were the parts that were not washed.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
First:
The obligation to ensure the feet are fully washed;
wiping is not sufficient.
Second:
Teaching the ignorant and guiding them.
Third:
The permissibility of being stern in condemnation.
Chapter: The statement of the narrator:
"He narrated to us," "He informed us," and "He told us."
On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
In one narration:
We were with the Prophet, peace be upon him,
and the heart of a palm tree was brought to him.
He said:
"Tell me of a tree that resembles,"
or "is like the Muslim man,
whose leaves do not fall,
nor..."
nor...
nor...
“Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.” (14:25)
In one narration:
People began to think of the trees of the desert.
Ibn ‘Umar said:
"It occurred to me that it was the date palm."
I saw Abu Bakr and ‘Umar remaining silent,
so I disliked speaking.
When they did not say anything,
the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"It is the date palm."
When we stood up,
I said to ‘Umar:
"O my father,
by Allah, it had occurred to me that it was the date palm."
He said:
"What prevented you from speaking?"
He said:
"I did not see you speaking,
so I disliked speaking or saying anything."
‘Umar said:
"For you to have said it
would have been dearer to me than such and such."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Whose leaves do not fall":
Meaning, they do not drop.
Nor...
Nor...
Nor...
Meaning, it is not afflicted by this or that.
“Giving its fruit at every season by permission of its Lord? Allah coineth the similitudes for mankind in order that they may reflect.” (14:25)
Meaning, it is constant at all times.
"It occurred to me that it was the date palm":
This indicates the sagacity of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar,
because he saw in the hand of the Prophet, peace be upon him, the heart of a palm tree,
which is what is eaten from the core of the palm,
and it is soft.
"I saw Abu Bakr and ‘Umar remaining silent":
This is from the perfection of his manners,
and that he was modest in his sagacity.
He did not utter what occurred to him
when he saw the elders did not speak.
"For you to have said it would have been dearer to me than such and such":
‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, expressed his joy
at the sagacity and intelligence of his son.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
First:
The recommendation for the scholar to pose questions
to test the understanding of the listeners,
and so that it becomes firmly rooted and established in their hearts,
because what is discussed in such sessions is hardly ever forgotten.
Second:
The legitimacy of using parables in teaching.
Third:
Respecting the elders,
as Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, did.
However, if the elders do not notice it,
the younger one may speak.
Fourth:
The date palm resembles the Muslim in the abundance of its goodness,
and the permanence of its shade and the sweetness of its fruit,
and the existence of that at all times.
All of these are benefits, goodness, and beauty.
The believer is entirely good,
through the abundance of his acts of obedience and his noble character,
and his consistency in his worship, his charity, and all other acts of obedience.
Chapter: What has been narrated regarding knowledge.
Anas Ibn Malik reported:
While we were sitting with the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in the mosque,
a man entered on a camel.
He made it kneel in the mosque and then tied its leg.
Then he said to them,
"Which of you is Muhammad?"
The Prophet, peace be upon him, was reclining among them.
We said,
"This fair-skinned man who is reclining."
The man said to him,
"Ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib!"
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to him,
"I have answered you."
The man said to the Prophet, peace be upon him,
"I am going to ask you,
and I will be firm in my questioning,
so do not find fault with me in your heart."
He said,
"Ask whatever you wish."
He said,
"I ask you by your Lord and the Lord of those before you:
Has Allah sent you to all people?"
He said,
"O Allah, yes."
He said,
"I adjure you by Allah:
Has Allah commanded you that we pray the five prayers during the day and night?"
He said,
"O Allah, yes."
He said,
"I adjure you by Allah:
Has Allah commanded you that we fast this month of the year?"
He said,
"O Allah, yes."
He said,
"I adjure you by Allah:
Has Allah commanded you to take this charity from our wealthy,
and distribute it among our poor?"
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said,
"O Allah, yes."
The man said,
"I believe in what you have brought,
and I am a messenger from those behind me among my people,
and I am Dimam Ibn Tha'labah,
brother of the Banu Sa'd Ibn Bakr."
Commentary on the hadith:
"He made it kneel" (fa-anakhahu),
meaning he caused it to sit down.
"Then he tied its leg" ('aqalahu),
the 'aql (tying)
is to bend the camel's leg toward its forearm,
to bind them both together in the middle of the forearm.
"Reclining" (muttaqi'),
anyone who is settled upon a cushion is considered reclining.
"Among them" (bayna zahrani-him),
meaning among them.
"The fair-skinned man,"
describing the Prophet, peace be upon him, by his apparent appearance.
It was not a pure, stark whiteness.
"In my questioning" (fi al-mas'alah),
meaning in the asking.
"Do not find fault with me in your heart,"
meaning do not become angry.
"I adjure you by Allah" (anshuduka billah),
meaning I ask you by Allah.
"That we fast this month of the year,"
meaning the month of Ramadan.
"That you take this charity,"
meaning the obligatory zakat.
"From our wealthy and distribute it among our poor,"
the poor are among the recipients of zakat,
and zakat is not restricted to them alone.
He singled them out for mention
because they are the most numerous of all the categories.
Or because it is in contrast to the mention of the wealthy.
"I am a messenger from those behind me among my people,"
because his people sent him as an envoy to investigate the matter.
From the benefits of the hadith:
First:
The acceptance of the report of a single individual,
for it was not reported that his people denied him regarding what he informed them of.
Second:
The permissibility of reclining among people without pride or arrogance.
Third:
The legitimacy of attributing a person to their ancestors.
Fourth:
From good communication
is that a person provides an introduction before their speech in which they apologize,
so that their speech is well-received by the listener,
and so that the listener remains patient with what follows.
Fifth:
The permissibility of asking for an oath regarding a report
in order to judge with certainty.
Chapter: What is mentioned regarding the handing over of documents (munawalah),
and the writing of scholars to distant lands.
From Ibn 'Abbas:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
sent his letter to Chosroes
with 'Abdullah Ibn Hudhafah al-Sahmi,
and he ordered him to deliver it to the ruler of Bahrain,
so the ruler of Bahrain delivered it to Chosroes.
When he read it, he tore it up.
Commentary on the hadith:
Chapter: What is mentioned regarding the handing over of documents.
The munawalah (handing over)
is for the teacher to hand over to the student what he has heard,
and say,
"This is what I have heard."
It may be accompanied by permission to narrate it.
"To the ruler of Bahrain,"
he is al-Mundhir Ibn Sawa al-'Abdi.
"When he read it, he tore it up,"
so Allah empowered his son against him, who killed him,
and his kingdom was torn apart completely.
From the benefits of the hadith:
First:
Among the methods of calling people to Allah, the Almighty and Majestic,
is correspondence and authorship.
Second:
It is sufficient to send one person to carry the letter of a ruler
to another ruler,
if there is no doubt about the letter and it is not denied.
From Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
When the Prophet, peace be upon him, wanted
to write to the Romans,
it was said to him,
"They do not read a letter
unless it is sealed."
So he took a ring of silver,
and I can almost see its whiteness on his hand,
and he had engraved upon it:
"Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah."
Commentary on the hadith:
"So he took a ring,"
and the Prophet, peace be upon him, had previously
taken a ring of gold,
and he placed its stone toward the palm of his hand,
so the people took similar ones,
then he threw it away,
and then he took a ring of silver.
From the benefits of the hadith:
First:
The permissibility of taking a silver ring.
Second:
The permissibility of engraving the name of the ring's owner.
Third:
The legitimacy of rulers
and their deputies taking a seal
for the sake of necessity.
Chapter: Whoever sits where the gathering ends,
and whoever sees a gap in the circle
and sits in it.
From Abu Waqid al-Laythi:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
saw, while he was sitting in the mosque
with the people around him,
that three men approached.
Two of them came toward the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
and one went away.
He said,
"They stood before the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him."
As for one of them,
he saw a gap in the circle,
so he sat in it.
As for the other,
he sat behind them.
And as for the third,
he turned away and left.
When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, finished,
he said,
"Shall I not inform you about the three men?
As for one of them,
he sought refuge with Allah,
so Allah gave him refuge.
As for the other,
he was shy,
so Allah was shy of him.
And as for the other,
he turned away,
so Allah turned away from him."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Three men" (thalathat nafar),
the nafar is a group of men,
from three to ten.
"A gap" (furjah),
the furjah is the space between two things.
"In the circle" (fi al-halqah),
with a sukun on the lam.
"He sought refuge with Allah" (awa ila Allah),
meaning he resorted to Him.
"So Allah gave him refuge."
As for the second person,
he felt shy,
meaning he refrained from pushing through the crowd, stepping over people, or turning away,
out of shyness before Allah,
and shyness before His Messenger, peace be upon him,
and before those present.
So, Allah was shy before him.
As for the other,
he turned away,
so Allah turned away from him.
This turning away
is by way of requital.
Shyness is a quality of perfection, with a qualification,
and as such, it is not attributed to Allah in an absolute sense,
but rather it is attributed to Him with qualification.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
First,
the legitimacy of holding circles of knowledge in the mosque,
and the recommendation of sitting close to the teacher so as to hear his words.
Second,
the recommendation of praising one who does a good deed,
and censuring one who does an ugly deed.
Third,
among the best of righteous deeds
is crowding around the scholar.
Fourth,
the censure of one who shows disinterest in knowledge.